Both merchants and consumers are familiar with using credit cards for purchase transactions. This high-interest credit facility provides consumers with an incentive to accelerate purchase decisions on various products and services. In effect, the high-interest credit facility enables consumers to increase purchase amounts as well as the frequency of purchases. Merchants clearly benefit through the increase in the average size of sales as well as the overall amount of sales to particular consumers. As is well known, the high interest rates and substantial late fees associated with credit cards are a significant drawback to the use of credit cards. What is needed therefore is a more flexible credit facility that is beneficial to both consumers and merchants.